But if the egg was really supposed to be up for sale, what need would there be for a fake? If the Russian government intended for the egg to go up for sale, wouldn't someone question why it was still in the Depository? At that point, someone would know there was a fake.
There would be no value in swapping the egg for the fake after the auction. Khan simply wanted the money...and it would be very difficult for him to pawn the genuine egg a second time. I think Khan wanted to sell the real egg, but at the same time make the Russians think they still had in their Depository (thus the fake was made). When the fake was lost in the river, Kahn had no choice but to purchase the actual egg back.
I think you may be on to something Darenhat. During the briefing, Fanning was suspicious that the egg was being sold by an annonymous seller with a Swiss bank account. This egg was not coming from the usual sources; he was convinced the vendor was a Russian. So our team of villains hoped to sell the the real thing in England while leaving the fake in the depository to smoke out the Russians. When the fake was lost, they had to get the real one back before it would be missed at the depository. There was an unscheduled inventory scheduled in two days time. So Kamal was sent to Sotherby's to buy the egg at any cost because if they should be out-bid and the egg fall in the hands of someone else, there would be an empty slot where the egg used to be in the depository. I think you are definitely right that the despository was not putting it up for sale. Our villains hoped to sell the real egg without the knowledge of the Russian government. As to how they could get away with it selling it at a public auction, I think goes back to the conditions of the Cold War.
Don't fret Bond fans, Sherlock Holmes and Watson are on the case, and eventually we will solve the mystery of the Faberge egg! {[]
"My acting range? Left eyebrow raised, right eyebrow raised..."
-Roger Moore
Tee HeeCBT Headquarters: Chicago, ILPosts: 917MI6 Agent
Sorry if my question annoyed you. I guess you could say that "Why the hell did Bond arrive at the final battle of the film in a hot-air balloon piloted by Q???" is MY 'Octopussy Question'...one of many, actually
Have a nice day
Two words: Aerial surveillance. Bond could get a wide scope of the Monsoon Palace from the air. Q was there simply to operate the balloon.
Even if it was just to give old Q a quick thrill with some young girls, I liked what I saw!
JennyFlexFan is to AVTAK as Tee Hee is to Octopussy )
"My acting range? Left eyebrow raised, right eyebrow raised..."
-Roger Moore
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Sorry if my question annoyed you. I guess you could say that "Why the hell did Bond arrive at the final battle of the film in a hot-air balloon piloted by Q???" is MY 'Octopussy Question'...one of many, actually
Have a nice day
Two words: Aerial surveillance. Bond could get a wide scope of the Monsoon Palace from the air. Q was there simply to operate the balloon.
Even if it was just to give old Q a quick thrill with some young girls, I liked what I saw!
JennyFlexFan is to AVTAK as Tee Hee is to Octopussy )
Hmm...An able rationalization. My congratulations {[] I'm glad it worked for you.
And the Tarzan yell was, no doubt, utilized in order to keep Johnny Weismuller's memory alive )
One of the things which has enabled 007 to survive his missteps for 44 years, IMRO, is the all-encompassing forgiveness doled out---at various specific points---by his fans. We all do it; it's just that our dispensation is issued to different beneficiaries
By the end of Sir Roger's tenure in the role, the self-conscious need of the producers to 'wink' at the audience (via certain devices) had become a major source of annoyance for me---fueled by the fact that he was my least favourite Bond actor---but I acknowledge that a sizable portion of the audience apparently enjoyed (or at least forgave) the more overt jokesmanship of the era.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
And the Tarzan yell was, no doubt, utilized in order to keep Johnny Weismuller's memory alive )
Aw, c;mon, Leoff...anyone who swings on a vine is going to let out a Tarzan yell. Even Chewbacca couldn't resist in the Star Wars films. Let's push you out of tree with nothing but a vegetable for support and see what sound you make.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Mine would probably be more of a monotone---albeit high-pitched---girly-style shriek, followed by the requisite moist thump! as my earthly remains struck the jungle floor, as gravity has never been a particular friend to the German:
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! [ THUMP! ]
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Tee HeeCBT Headquarters: Chicago, ILPosts: 917MI6 Agent
Someone had asked a question regarding a scene in the movie and people have turned this into a nitpicking fest over OCTOPUSSY.
Yes, the movie had silly moments. There are a lot of good Bond movies that had silly moments. But despite the silly moments, I thought that OCTOPUSSY was one of the better Bond movies and probably Moore's second best. But it is only my opinion. Judging from the sentiments on this thread, I must be the only one who harbors it.
You must not have read the thread too closely because several people here take a liking to OP; it's in fact my personal favorite. The original question of the thread was surrounding the Faberge egg and it has been answered to the best of our abilities. So why not take additional questions or critiques? We aren't taking part in a nitpicking fest, but rather having a friendly discussion. Just because someone raises a question or criticizes a film doesn't mean they don't enjoy it at the same time.
"My acting range? Left eyebrow raised, right eyebrow raised..."
Bond travels to India in pursuit of Kamal. During a round of backgammon, Bond pulls out the real egg. However, Kamal is convinced that the egg is not the genuine one, but the presumably lost egg stolen by 009 in the beginning of the film. He believes he bought the real deal at the auction. He is not aware of the switch that was made.
Wow. I never considered this before. I always thought that Kamal discovered he bought the fake egg at the auction, and was shocked when he saw Bond place the apparently real egg on the backgammon table. But now that I think about it, doesn't Kamal later describe Bond as someone who likes to gamble with loaded dice and fake eggs? (Or something like that. I can't quite remember.) So your theory seems to fit.
By the way Tee Hee, as you're the leading expert on Octopussy, can you explain how Bond vanished from inside a gorilla costume?
He's Bond remember? How dare you question his abilities? )
Quite right. He can do anything...even apply full clown makeup and don a costume---in approximately fifteen seconds.
And as for nit-picking, don't get me wrong: Moore is my least favourite Bond---and OP my second-to-least favourite Bond film---but it's still a Bond movie, and there's much I enjoy here: The Acrostar Mini-Jet, the backgammon game, Maud Adams (and the rest of the lovelies!), Bond shooting the knob off the end of the banister, the car chase to the circus, the Faberge egg and renegade Soviet general subplots, the fight on the train, the yo-yo saw, the finale outside the plane-in-flight, the fake crocodile vehicle....
Okay, not the fake crocodile vehicle
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Quite right. He can do anything...even apply full clown makeup and don a costume---in approximately fifteen seconds.
It's not just Bond. I have discovered that I would be a terrible secret agent, because I couldn't change my clothes in 15 seconds; unlike every secret agent that I see on TV/at the movies.
One could argue that it was a tribute to Bond's wearing a duck costume in GF.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
As flattering as it is, I think the title of expert may be a bit of a stretch.
Tee Hee, when someone gives you a compliment like that, you will accept it or suffer the consequences! X-(
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Entering this debate somewhat late But having watched Octopussy last night, I had a question of my own. Though since I've come up with my own explanation (more on that in a wee bit) I came across this in a trawl to see if the subject had already been debated.
Nonetheless, I thought I'd add my understanding of the egg story.
Background
Orlov is hell-bent on invading western Europe. Knowing that the Chairman of the Grand Soviet Committee (shown in the war room, effectively the President) and the head of the KGB are, to put it mildly, not so keen, he hatches a plan to force nuclear disarmanent in Europe. Now, even IF Europe disarms, the 'softliners' in Moscow will still have no stomach for war, so my assumption would be that Orlov plans a coup back home. If he's the next ironman of the USSR, then he won't give a damn what's in the state depository. That's a temporary smokescreen.
The Auctions
"Kamal Khan. Usually a seller; marginal quality from dubious sources" So who better for Orlov to approach to assist in his plan? Khan will supply the fake goods to switch with the real jewellery for which he will get a cut at auction. He knows about the bomb plot in advance, but only cares about the money. Khan does not have the logistics to smuggle neither jewellery nor, more importantly, bomb. Hence he approaches the known smuggler and circus owner, Octopussy. She knows nothing of the bomb plot, it is simply a smuggling ring to her.
The jewellery reaching auction has alerted the attentions of MI6 (as has been pointed out, this is a very public auction). If Khan was the known vendor, and he is well known as a dubious vendor, the risk is that the sale won't be taken seriously and drive away interest. However, it has also attracted the attention of the KGB - otherwise, why would the head of the KGB attend a sudden unscheduled inventory? The initial idea that the fakes will hold up for the time being is disproven when the inspector smashes the Romanov Star (marginal quality, after all).
The Fake vs The Real
It is always the intention to sell the real jewellery at auction. The fake jewellery is being smuggled to Moscow through Octopussy's circus. 009 intercepts the fake Fabergé egg, for which he is killed. The egg is thought to be lost in the river, but of course ends up at the British Ambassador's residence.
007 swaps the fake egg for the real egg at auction. He follows Kamal to India and produces the "fake" egg. Now, real or not, they suddenly have an 'adventurer' who has knowledge that both eggs exist. Interrogate and dispose of him, naturally, as he is a threat to the operation (Kamal notes to Octopussy that he may be a possible blackmailer).
Magda recovers the "fake" egg; after all, they're not going to disregard it and let it roam around with whomever.
Orlov, in his rage, smashes the "fake" egg. The audience knows it is the real McCoy, Khan however, does not. He's just seen his cut off the proceeds of this particular sale vanish. After all, with no fake egg, the real one isn't going to make it to sale.
Notices & Exclusions
This does not explain the tarzan yell, the Union Flag air balloon, the crocodile vehicle, the clown suit or Moore's age.
So…that's my take on it.
My original question to myself was how Orlov and Khan became wrapped up in it together, but then I answered it by recalling Khan's reputation when reading through this thread.
Regarding the Tarzan yell...after having played the old Atari classic Pitfall recently, I am coming to the belief that that particular sound effect is REQUIRED when anyone swings on a vine (it has something to do with copyright infringement).
SB_DiamondNorth Miami Beach, FLPosts: 126MI6 Agent
As Octopussy is my favorite Bond film, I can't help but defend it. Everyone who has posted so far has been so close to figuring out the story of the egg. As I believe I have got it all figured out, please let me enlighten you.
Here's the way I understand it:
1. Lenkin makes a false egg to be presumably switched with the original before it is auctioned at Sotherby's. The original will of course be smuggled out with the rest of the jewelry.
2. Operation Trove: 009 recovers the false egg; it is a vital piece of the puzzle that is Orlov's and Kamal's scheme. While trying to escape, 009 is killed by either Mischka or Grischka (hard to tell which ) and they presume the egg is lost in the river with the body. However, 009 has an ounce of life left to swim to shore and drop the egg in the house of the ambassador. Thus, the egg falls into MI6 custody without the knowledge of either Kamal or Orlov. They are under the impression that the egg is lost.
3. Due to an unscheduled inventory, there is no time for Lenkin to make another replacement. Orlov is left with no choice but to buy it (a small price to pay considering all the other jewelry he duplicated) and he sends Kamal to Sotherby's to pick it up. At the auction, Bond switches the genuine egg with the fake one and Kamal leaves believing he's got the real thing.(Remember, Kamal and Orlov believe the fake egg is lost).
4. Bond returns to MI6 with the real egg. There is no risk that Kamal or Orlov will notice the switch as neither of them are jewelry experts. They most likely will be fooled by their own creation. This will ultimate lead to the confusion about which egg is which and the final destruction of the original.
5. Bond travels to India in pursuit of Kamal. During a round of backgammon, Bond pulls out the real egg. However, Kamal is convinced that the egg is not the genuine one, but the presumably lost egg stolen by 009 in the beginning of the film. He believes he bought the real deal at the auction. He is not aware of the switch that was made. As the fake egg is bound to bring up questions if it is leaked to the authorities, Kamal finds it in his best interest and the interest of his smuggling operation to recover the fake. He doesn't want the egg to surface or be blackmailed by Bond, so he decides to recover the egg by any means necessary. All at the same time he is under the impression that Bond has the fake, when in reality he's got the real deal!
6. Bond escapes Gobinda and his cronies and reaches Q's hidden laboratory. Q installs a bug into the real egg and Bond takes it back to his hotel.
7. Magda changes her mind about Bond's earlier invitation and they share an evening together. Magda is using Bond to get to the egg and she wakes up early in the morning to steal it. Bond knows that she has taken it, but it is just as he planned. With the egg in Kamal's hands, Bond can follow Kamal wherever he goes and listen in on his conversations which could shed a light on their plan.
8. Bond gets whacked by Gobinda and is taken to the Monsoon Palace. To Kamal's knowledge he has recovered the false egg from Bond (it's actually real!), but he wants to know exactly what Bond knows. Orlov pays a visit to Kamal where he is presented with the egg Kamal recovered from Bond. Believing this is the fake, as does Kamal, Orlov smashes it to destroy the evidence against them. However, they don't realize that what they just destoryed was the real thing. Kamal fliches, as PoorManJB has pointed out, because of the loss of a piece of delicate craftsmanship which wasn't cheap by any means. Orlov and Kamal leave the room with the peace of mind that the real thing is in the cache and they have cleaned up their paper trail. But we as the audience know exactly what they have done, destroyed the genuine egg.
The movie continues.....
I'll admit this is a very complicated plot element, but I believe I have mapped it out fairly well here. The key event in the egg plot is the switch at the auction. By switching the egg, Bond gave Kamal and Orlov false identities to both eggs. Everything was straightened out until Bond made the switch. This is what eventually led to the destruction of the wrong egg.
Whew! Hope this clears up a lot up for you.
I don't care what all you haters say, Octopussy rules! {[]
I'm SOOOOO glad I read this before watching the movie (haven't seen it yet, but looking forward to it, mostly for Maud Adams) and getting royally confused! Thanks Tee Hee!!! {[]
Having watched and enjoyed OP for the umpteenth (approx) time earlier today, I was reminded of this fun thread.
As has been observed elsewhere (by me anyway), one common plot device in the Bond films is to start with 007 investigating the suspicious selling/smuggling of a valuable item only to find a more nefarious scheme going on. A man who is suspected only (comparatively) of gold smuggling turns out to be planning to explode a nuclear bomb in Fort Knox; diamonds being held off the market turn out to be used in a giant space laser... twice ) ; microchip hoarding lies behind a plot to flood Silicon Valley. You get the idea.
The three credited screenwriters (for sure Cubby and John Glen chipped in also) for OP faced the formidable feat of fleshing Fleming's few Faberge egg folios out into a full film, faithful to its forebears, and IMHO succeeded with a few forgiveable flaws featured.
The egg is the McGuffin of this plot, only a device to get the plot into gear. OP isn't about the egg, it's only the tip of the tentacle (as 007 himself says) which leads us into the preventing-of-nuclear-disaster climax.
SB_DiamondNorth Miami Beach, FLPosts: 126MI6 Agent
Well I also saw Octopussy earlier today and though I found it very hokey on occaisions and there were times where I was like, "Are you freaking kidding me???" Overall I found the movie to be enjoyable, and after having read the explanations in this forum I actually found the plot quite easy to follow. So I'd have to say while not one of my favorites, not amongst the ones I dislike. Good 'ol fashion escapist entertainment.
One way the filmmakers could have made this slightly less confusing would be to have the art inspector hold up the fake egg, instead of the romanov star, in the repository and smash it on the floor. Then we would know both eggs were accounted for and destroyed. Then at the end, General Gogol would request the return of the REAL egg and Mi6 would be like "Ummm heh heh we're not sure what happened to it."
agree or disagree?
Okay, so I'm watching OP right now. Kamal walks into see Octopussy and tells her the egg has been recovered. She is upset it was stolen in the first place and the guy who found it knew enough to trace it back to Kamal. I now realize they are both referring to the fake egg that was presumed lost in the river. Kamal doesn't know he's now holding the genuine egg. By this point the other egg is back in its place at the art depository.
In the next scene with Orlov, he is holding the real egg, but thinks it's a fake. "So you recovered it" , again referring to the egg that was lost in the river. Then he smashes it. Kamal cringes because even the fake is still valuable for their line of work.
See, all this time I thought they knew they had been duped at the auction and were glad to get the genuine egg back. Not the case.
Only one question remains...Other than an excuse not to pay for it, what advantage did Bond gain by switching the egg ? Especially if the switch was never even noticed.
My current 10 favorite:
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Comments
I think you may be on to something Darenhat. During the briefing, Fanning was suspicious that the egg was being sold by an annonymous seller with a Swiss bank account. This egg was not coming from the usual sources; he was convinced the vendor was a Russian. So our team of villains hoped to sell the the real thing in England while leaving the fake in the depository to smoke out the Russians. When the fake was lost, they had to get the real one back before it would be missed at the depository. There was an unscheduled inventory scheduled in two days time. So Kamal was sent to Sotherby's to buy the egg at any cost because if they should be out-bid and the egg fall in the hands of someone else, there would be an empty slot where the egg used to be in the depository. I think you are definitely right that the despository was not putting it up for sale. Our villains hoped to sell the real egg without the knowledge of the Russian government. As to how they could get away with it selling it at a public auction, I think goes back to the conditions of the Cold War.
Don't fret Bond fans, Sherlock Holmes and Watson are on the case, and eventually we will solve the mystery of the Faberge egg! {[]
-Roger Moore
Two words: Aerial surveillance. Bond could get a wide scope of the Monsoon Palace from the air. Q was there simply to operate the balloon.
Even if it was just to give old Q a quick thrill with some young girls, I liked what I saw!
JennyFlexFan is to AVTAK as Tee Hee is to Octopussy
-Roger Moore
Hmm...An able rationalization. My congratulations {[] I'm glad it worked for you.
And the Tarzan yell was, no doubt, utilized in order to keep Johnny Weismuller's memory alive
One of the things which has enabled 007 to survive his missteps for 44 years, IMRO, is the all-encompassing forgiveness doled out---at various specific points---by his fans. We all do it; it's just that our dispensation is issued to different beneficiaries
By the end of Sir Roger's tenure in the role, the self-conscious need of the producers to 'wink' at the audience (via certain devices) had become a major source of annoyance for me---fueled by the fact that he was my least favourite Bond actor---but I acknowledge that a sizable portion of the audience apparently enjoyed (or at least forgave) the more overt jokesmanship of the era.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Aw, c;mon, Leoff...anyone who swings on a vine is going to let out a Tarzan yell. Even Chewbacca couldn't resist in the Star Wars films. Let's push you out of tree with nothing but a vegetable for support and see what sound you make.
Well, I'm sure the temptation to do that is always present :v
Mine would probably be more of a monotone---albeit high-pitched---girly-style shriek, followed by the requisite moist thump! as my earthly remains struck the jungle floor, as gravity has never been a particular friend to the German:
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! [ THUMP! ]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
You must not have read the thread too closely because several people here take a liking to OP; it's in fact my personal favorite. The original question of the thread was surrounding the Faberge egg and it has been answered to the best of our abilities. So why not take additional questions or critiques? We aren't taking part in a nitpicking fest, but rather having a friendly discussion. Just because someone raises a question or criticizes a film doesn't mean they don't enjoy it at the same time.
-Roger Moore
Wow. I never considered this before. I always thought that Kamal discovered he bought the fake egg at the auction, and was shocked when he saw Bond place the apparently real egg on the backgammon table. But now that I think about it, doesn't Kamal later describe Bond as someone who likes to gamble with loaded dice and fake eggs? (Or something like that. I can't quite remember.) So your theory seems to fit.
By the way Tee Hee, as you're the leading expert on Octopussy, can you explain how Bond vanished from inside a gorilla costume?
Addendum: OP is high on my list, too.
As flattering as it is, I think the title of expert may be a bit of a stretch.
As for the gorilla costume, he probably slipped through the back of it where it zippers.
He's Bond remember? How dare you question his abilities?
-Roger Moore
Quite right. He can do anything...even apply full clown makeup and don a costume---in approximately fifteen seconds.
And as for nit-picking, don't get me wrong: Moore is my least favourite Bond---and OP my second-to-least favourite Bond film---but it's still a Bond movie, and there's much I enjoy here: The Acrostar Mini-Jet, the backgammon game, Maud Adams (and the rest of the lovelies!), Bond shooting the knob off the end of the banister, the car chase to the circus, the Faberge egg and renegade Soviet general subplots, the fight on the train, the yo-yo saw, the finale outside the plane-in-flight, the fake crocodile vehicle....
Okay, not the fake crocodile vehicle
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
One could argue that it was a tribute to Bond's wearing a duck costume in GF.
Nonetheless, I thought I'd add my understanding of the egg story.
Background
Orlov is hell-bent on invading western Europe. Knowing that the Chairman of the Grand Soviet Committee (shown in the war room, effectively the President) and the head of the KGB are, to put it mildly, not so keen, he hatches a plan to force nuclear disarmanent in Europe. Now, even IF Europe disarms, the 'softliners' in Moscow will still have no stomach for war, so my assumption would be that Orlov plans a coup back home. If he's the next ironman of the USSR, then he won't give a damn what's in the state depository. That's a temporary smokescreen.
The Auctions
"Kamal Khan. Usually a seller; marginal quality from dubious sources" So who better for Orlov to approach to assist in his plan? Khan will supply the fake goods to switch with the real jewellery for which he will get a cut at auction. He knows about the bomb plot in advance, but only cares about the money. Khan does not have the logistics to smuggle neither jewellery nor, more importantly, bomb. Hence he approaches the known smuggler and circus owner, Octopussy. She knows nothing of the bomb plot, it is simply a smuggling ring to her.
The jewellery reaching auction has alerted the attentions of MI6 (as has been pointed out, this is a very public auction). If Khan was the known vendor, and he is well known as a dubious vendor, the risk is that the sale won't be taken seriously and drive away interest. However, it has also attracted the attention of the KGB - otherwise, why would the head of the KGB attend a sudden unscheduled inventory? The initial idea that the fakes will hold up for the time being is disproven when the inspector smashes the Romanov Star (marginal quality, after all).
The Fake vs The Real
It is always the intention to sell the real jewellery at auction. The fake jewellery is being smuggled to Moscow through Octopussy's circus. 009 intercepts the fake Fabergé egg, for which he is killed. The egg is thought to be lost in the river, but of course ends up at the British Ambassador's residence.
007 swaps the fake egg for the real egg at auction. He follows Kamal to India and produces the "fake" egg. Now, real or not, they suddenly have an 'adventurer' who has knowledge that both eggs exist. Interrogate and dispose of him, naturally, as he is a threat to the operation (Kamal notes to Octopussy that he may be a possible blackmailer).
Magda recovers the "fake" egg; after all, they're not going to disregard it and let it roam around with whomever.
Orlov, in his rage, smashes the "fake" egg. The audience knows it is the real McCoy, Khan however, does not. He's just seen his cut off the proceeds of this particular sale vanish. After all, with no fake egg, the real one isn't going to make it to sale.
Notices & Exclusions
This does not explain the tarzan yell, the Union Flag air balloon, the crocodile vehicle, the clown suit or Moore's age.
So…that's my take on it.
My original question to myself was how Orlov and Khan became wrapped up in it together, but then I answered it by recalling Khan's reputation when reading through this thread.
Regarding the Tarzan yell...after having played the old Atari classic Pitfall recently, I am coming to the belief that that particular sound effect is REQUIRED when anyone swings on a vine (it has something to do with copyright infringement).
I'm SOOOOO glad I read this before watching the movie (haven't seen it yet, but looking forward to it, mostly for Maud Adams) and getting royally confused! Thanks Tee Hee!!! {[]
As has been observed elsewhere (by me anyway), one common plot device in the Bond films is to start with 007 investigating the suspicious selling/smuggling of a valuable item only to find a more nefarious scheme going on. A man who is suspected only (comparatively) of gold smuggling turns out to be planning to explode a nuclear bomb in Fort Knox; diamonds being held off the market turn out to be used in a giant space laser... twice
The three credited screenwriters (for sure Cubby and John Glen chipped in also) for OP faced the formidable feat of fleshing Fleming's few Faberge egg folios out into a full film, faithful to its forebears, and IMHO succeeded with a few forgiveable flaws featured.
The egg is the McGuffin of this plot, only a device to get the plot into gear. OP isn't about the egg, it's only the tip of the tentacle (as 007 himself says) which leads us into the preventing-of-nuclear-disaster climax.
One way the filmmakers could have made this slightly less confusing would be to have the art inspector hold up the fake egg, instead of the romanov star, in the repository and smash it on the floor. Then we would know both eggs were accounted for and destroyed. Then at the end, General Gogol would request the return of the REAL egg and Mi6 would be like "Ummm heh heh we're not sure what happened to it."
agree or disagree?
Okay, so I'm watching OP right now. Kamal walks into see Octopussy and tells her the egg has been recovered. She is upset it was stolen in the first place and the guy who found it knew enough to trace it back to Kamal. I now realize they are both referring to the fake egg that was presumed lost in the river. Kamal doesn't know he's now holding the genuine egg. By this point the other egg is back in its place at the art depository.
In the next scene with Orlov, he is holding the real egg, but thinks it's a fake. "So you recovered it" , again referring to the egg that was lost in the river. Then he smashes it. Kamal cringes because even the fake is still valuable for their line of work.
See, all this time I thought they knew they had been duped at the auction and were glad to get the genuine egg back. Not the case.
Only one question remains...Other than an excuse not to pay for it, what advantage did Bond gain by switching the egg ? Especially if the switch was never even noticed.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK